Romans Summary

Romans is a Pauline epistle written about 57 A.D. to the church in Rome. Jews returned to Rome after Pentecost and established a church there. Claudius decreed that Jews should leave Rome, and when they returned there were conflicts in the church between Jew and Gentile. Though Paul had not met them, he wrote this letter to help clear up the controversy and to make the gospel central. He uses a diatribe style to make theological points. A good outline for the book is as follows: introduction (1:1-17); justification by faith (1:18-4:25); assurance provided by the gospel (5:1-8:39); defense of the gospel dealing with Israel (9:1-11:36); transforming power of the gospel (12:1-15:13); closing (15:14-16:27).

In the introduction, Paul establishes his apostleship and his eagerness to meet them. In the prayer/thanksgiving section in 1:8-17, Paul repeats the central theme of the letter, which is the gospel. The gospel is about Jesus, who as a man was descended from David (1:3), and whose nature as God was shown through the Spirit and declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection (1:4). Paul was not ashamed of the gospel since it was the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (1:16). God revealed a righteousness by faith (1:17)-see also Genesis 15:6 and Habakkuk 2:4.

In the second section, justification by faith becomes the predominant idea. Paul shows God has wrath towards mankind in our natural state since men are without excuse (1:20) and have known him since the creation but have suppressed the truth and become filled with depravity (1:29). Man cannot be justified by the law (the word is used seventy-four times in Romans, more than the rest of his letters combined). Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin (3:9). In 3:10-20, Paul shares a summary from the OT regarding sin and its effects on man. A righteousness from God apart from the law has been made known (3:21). This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (3:22,28). Paul uses Abraham as an example of one who believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (4:3,9,13,22-24).

Paul encouraged assurance in our faith in the next section. Due to our justification, we have peace with God (5:1). We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, in our suffering, and since we have been reconciled with God (5:2,3,11). Now we are united with Christ in his death and resurrection. Sin shall not be our master. We are not under law but under grace (6:14). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (6:23). In chapter 7, Paul showed that when we were controlled by the sinful nature (7:5) we bore fruit for death, and the law could not help us. Now we have been released from the law and serve in the new way in the Spirit (7:6). Therefore, Jesus accomplished what the law could not do (8:3-4). Believers are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit (8:9). The Spirit has given us life, sonship, and made us heirs of God (8:11,15-16). God is always working for our good (8:28), and nothing can separate us from his love (8:39).

Paul defends the gospel while dealing with the problem of Israel in chapters 9-11. Paul criticizes Judaism for its overemphasis of the law and its presumption of most favored nation status while affirming Israel as the root of the church and its continued place within the plan of God. God is sovereign and can elect and have mercy on whom he pleases. In chapter 10, Paul encourages faith in the message of the gospel, whether Jew or Gentile. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (10:13). Salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious (11:11). Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in (11:25).

The ability of the gospel to change the lives of God’s people is emphasized in chapters 12-15. We are not to be conformed to the pattern of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we would know God’s will (12:2). Paul lists some of the gifts in 12:6-8. We are to love, practice hospitality, be joyful, be patient, bless others, and to overcome evil with good. We are to submit to the governing authorities (13:1-7). We are not to judge each other on disputable matters, but we are to avoid causing others to stumble (chapter 14). We are to accept one another (15:7).

In the closing of the letter, we find Paul plans to visit Rome on his way to Spain (15:24). He asks for prayer. In chapter 16, Paul greets twenty-six people, including nine women. That is impressive considering he had not ever been there. He ends with an appropriate doxology, mentioning how the gospel establishes us (16:25).